Minefield
by Dawn of Chaos
Summary: He blames himself and he can't let it go. He deems that it's his entire fault because he was so blinded by hate. Now ... now he's closed himself off from everything and he's sinking.


_**~ Lightning strikes inside my chest to keep me up at night ... Dream of ways to make you understand my pain ... ~**_

_Pale gray eyes stare up from the ground that's coated in rain and scattered rumble. The cloak that I have hated for years is gone, burnt to ashes and carried away in the wind ... exactly the same as the mask he always wore._

_Hatred ... Despair ... Malevolence ... and it all was hiding the truth that I knew, the real personality; loving, devoted ... a true hero in my eyes, a truly perfect brother._

_I shift my eyes to try and see him, to see the smile on his face even as his words still ring in my ears._

_"Sorry ... Sasuke ..."_

_I feel my eyes drooping shut as weariness takes over my body. But I don't want to black out, I want to be happy, thrilled with my victory that I've worked so hard to achieve. Yet I can't, I'm far too tired and in so much pain, muscles burning and bones aching. The last thing I see before my eyes close is the stone that I'm slumping down onto, but when I close my eyes I can see his smiling face, forever smiling._

My eyes snap open as fast as the sealing of a summoning scroll. The bandages wrapping around my torso tighten as I sit up, sweat beading on my skin. I drag my fingers up through my ebony bangs framing my face, trying to push them away. I sit in the dirt room of one of Madara's hideouts, still recovering from my "fight" with Itachi, my mind still reeling from all the bundles of information which Madara had given me.

As I think of Itachi's last smile, Naruto drifts into my mind. His bright golden hair and determined blue eyes seeming to taunt me... I want to go back. I want- need someone to tell me it's not all my fault, that I didn't just kill the only person that loved me for _me_. I can't go back to Konoha, not after I've betrayed everyone there and left to side with their enemy. I killed Orochimaru ... I killed Itachi ... I'm at least a _"hero"_ for that.

_A hero ... Itachi wanted me to be a hero... wants me to continue with his work, with his devotion for Konoha. But I can't, I can't side with them after everything. I just can't do it._

"I'm sorry Itachi..." are the words that drip from my lips as fresh tears begin sliding from my eyes. I force my weary body to lay back down and for my mind to concentrate on something else, something like my next plan.

_**~ Clouds of sulfur in the air, bombs are falling everywhere. It's heartbreak warfare. Once you want it to begin, no one really ever wins in heartbreak warfare. Drop his name, push it in and twist the knife again. Watch my face as I pretend to feel no pain. ~ **_

A mask void of emotion sits on my countenance as I walk through the forest, my ally at my heels. He doesn't talk _too_ much, but I can tell he's just itching to say something. I already proved to him that I'm the superior fighter between the two of us, which is why he's more than ready to assist me to get to my newly formed goal. My other two allies are back at Madara's hideout, preparing for our leave the second I give the signal.

I continue through the wooded area, trying to get to the stretch of white sand on the other side; pushing myself harder than I usually would. I can feel my toes as the stub into the ground, my ankle caught up in some sort of root or vine from a tree. I hear him cry out to me, arms trying to wind around me and hands trying to pull me back up into a standing position. It doesn't matter though...I can feel the warm liquid seeping from one of the wounds on my body.

Opening the eyes I didn't know that I closed, I look up at the person who caught me, who's shaking his head slightly. It's not the person who should be here, it's just my mind hammering at my heart again.

_...Itachi..._

_**~ How come the only way to know how high you get me is to see how far I fall? God only knows how much I'd love you if you let me, but I can't break through at all. It's a heartbreak... ~**_

_The soles of my shoes beat against the ground as I run through the village. Fear suddenly begins to course through my body as I slow down, the feeling of being watched only getting worse as I continue on my way home. I don't stop though, simply let my raven fringe bob in and out of my vision as I speed back up._

_..._

_All the speed I had used to get home turns into a dead stop, my mouth frozen in a wide 'o' as I drag my eyes up and away from my parents' dead bodies and to the long legs and sturdy build that always piggy-backed me home. His once loving and inviting gray eyes seem dull and lifeless now as they stare at me as if I'm not even standing here. His hands, his weapon, his outfit ... speckled with blood ... the blood of every person in our village ... now slaughtered._

_...But...But I love you...Itachi...why?_

It was just one hit after another. Once I thought that I'm getting back up, another came from now where and slammed straight into my chest. Every time I got started again I would ran across another bomb that sent me crawling back to where I began. But that one...that one blow in particular...was all my fault, is all my fault, all because I was so blinded by hate and ignorance. I never looked for another explanation; I should have though, because that's what a brother _should_ do.

But I didn't...I kept walking forward only to realize that I've been walking backwards the whole time.

_**~ I don't care if we don't sleep at all tonight. Let's just fix this whole thing now. I swear to God we're gonna get it right if you lay your weapon down, red wine and ambience. You're talking shit again, it's heartbreak warfare. Good to know it's all a game. Disappointment has a name, it's heartbreak, heartbreak. ~**_

Cool water trickles off the sides of my face, my arm coming up and dragging over my eyes so that I can open them. I struggle to sit up and look for Itachi, even though I know in my heart that it wasn't him who brought me here. A lavender hue spiking out into a violet are the color of eyes that meet mine, a pale face propped up on his upturned palm. Short lunar hair falls all around his face, his bangs dipping into those eyes that seem so... filled with fight. His lips purse out as he tsk's. "Sheesh, you know Sasuke, you could have at least waited till we got here to faint."

I turn my head away, not wanting to dignify that with a response.

"You know, you're really annoying right now."

My eyes stay locked with the cresting waves until my back is slammed back against the ground. He sits on my waist, fingers locked around each of my wrists. Determination keeps his lips set in a thin line, he leans in close and the ends of his hair graze over my cheeks. "Get off Suigetsu."

_Normally I would have seen this coming ... why ... why didn't I?_

"No. Not until you let this shit go. How am I supposed to support you if you go off and not tell me anything? You killed your brother, so what!" He leans in closer, our noses almost touching. "Tell me Sasuke, who was it that made him go and massacre your village?"

_Konoha. Uchiha. The villages...the two villages I use to always love..._

The realization must be evident on my face because he laughs, pressing his lips against mine in a soft peck. Sitting up on my stomach he crosses his arms, proud of his handy work. "Good, now that you're in a half decent mood, we can have some more time alone."

I roll my eyes, the meaning of "time alone" clear. "Just get off me."

* * *

><p><em>Soo ... Yeah.<br>Not much to say ...  
>The song however, is Heartbreak Warfare by John Mayer. <em>


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